The trend is changing. Today, candidates are getting placed not just through B-schools but also through the various CSR activities undertaken by various companies. In light of the same, meet Nithya R and Goutam Majhi who are today successfully employed as Transaction Process Associate with Accenture India Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru, and Field Worker at Magrahat Social Welfare Society, respectively, thanks to Accenture Ltd’s CSR activities
Indian companies have been doing a lot in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) space. With the government making it mandatory for companies to devote two percent of their profits to CSR activities, more and more companies are doing their bit to make this a grand success. In the light of the same, one of the leading IT giants, Accenture is also playing its role in contributing to the society, by coming up with various CSR activities.
Let’s hear the stories from candidates like Nithya and Goutam who have immensely benefited out of the company’s CSR initiatives. Take the example of 28-year old Nithya R, whose father is a daily wage labourer, earning an annual remuneration of Rs.26,000. Sadly, this amount was not sufficient to sustain the family needs. Nithya is hearing impaired by birth which made it difficult for her to find a job. However, Nithya was determined that she wants to help her family. Post her higher secondary education, she took up a job with Vidhya E-info Media Pvt Ltd as a Data Entry Operator where she was earning Rs.4,000 per month. This amount was again not enough for her family and so she decided to earn more so that their financial condition could improve.
A few years ago, in 2007, Accenture began a long-term partnership with Dr Reddy’s Foundation (DRF) with its nationwide Livelihood Enhancement Business School (LABS) offering an effective short-term skills training programme. LABS-PwD training programme of DRF is Livelihood Advancement Business School (LABS) – Person with Disabilities training programme of Dr Reddy’s Foundation. The objective is to ensure job placements by addressing issues of employability and income generation, thereby improving the quality of life of underprivileged youth in India.
Nithya got to know about the LABS-PwD training programme of DRF from one of her friends. She then came to the Accenture supported LABS-PwD centre at Jayanagar, Bengaluru and enrolled herself in the ITeS domain. The facilitators at the centre counselled her about the course and job placement prospects.
Since then, Nithya started experiencing a change in her personality. The life skill topics like emotional intelligence and proactive decision making helped her to mould her personality. She completed her training in April 2014 and started working as a Transaction Process Associate with Accenture India Pvt. Ltd., Bangaluru on a monthly remuneration of Rs.9,500.
Says a happy Nithya, “It was like a dream come true for me. I never imagined working for an MNC like Accenture. I could only realise this dream of mine through the LABS-PwD training programme.”
Today, Nithya is supporting her family and is happy with the way she has progressed in life. She adds, “My journey has been a progressive one. Despite having only completed my SSC, I am placed in a permanent job at Accenture, where I have been recognised for my hard work and professionalism.”
“The support from Accenture combined with my hard work has contributed to my growth. I am happy that I am independent and am able to support my family financially. I intend to save more and be able to give my family a better quality of life over the years to come,” she notes.
As the LABS-PwD training programme scaled up, there was an increasing need for DRF to manage its operations and data flow across centers in India. This provided the opportunity for Accenture employees to use their skills through its Pro Bono programme. An online portal FOIS (Foundations Operations Information System) was developed by a dedicated project team. It allowed DRF to manage its operations and reporting in a lean and efficient manner.
Realising the significance and need for skilled manpower, private sector entities are taking several initiatives to contribute effectively to the government’s endeavors. Companies and industry associations are not only boosting their in-house training facilities, but are also taking steps to make potential employees job-ready before they join organisations.
The goal of ‘Skill India’ is to create opportunities, space and scope for the development of the talent of Indians and identify new sectors for skill development. Through this initiative, IT major, Accenture is advancing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for individuals by using technology to drive impact at scale.
Accenture’s ‘Skills to Succeed’ corporate citizenship initiative advances employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for individuals around the globe. By collaborating with their vast partner network across industries, non-profit strategic partners and governments to create new talent pipelines to fill urgent business needs and develop replicable, scalable & low-cost, technology-driven solutions that provide skilling solutions at scale.
“The Accenture ‘Skills to Succeed’ programme is designed keeping in mind beneficiary outcomes. We recognise that customising our courses to the needs of the community and current market demand is vital to equip the students with all required skills to get and retain a job,” says Kshitija Krishnaswamy, Director - Corporate Citizenship, Accenture India.
Accenture has also partnered with DRF for vocational training in BPO skills, Quest Alliance for vocational training in retail skills, Don Bosco Tech for vocational training in hospitality skills and with MAYA-Labournet for vocational training in construction skills. Accenture has also collaborated with Anudip Foundation in Kolkata to provide training to women and youth in market-aligned skills training for the local job market. The initiative has been highly successful and has resulted in good placement and retention rates. Women and youth are provided with skills training relevant to the local job market. Anudip has also expanded its operations to West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha and helped provide sustainable livelihood solutions to the unemployed youth and women.
Accenture aims to equip more than 3 million people, globally, with the skills to get a job or build a business, by the end of fiscal 2020. As part of the Market Aligned Skills Training (MAST), digital & Internet skills including social media marketing, web & mobile application development, Google analytics, mobile marketing, cloud fundamentals are being piloted across select centres in Kolkata.
For instance, Goutam Majhi, who lives in a remote village, Chakparon Kantakhali in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has highly benefited from this initiative. There are six members in his family, and his father is the sole bread earner. Goutam’s dad works as a farmer, earning Rs.3,800 every month, with which they barely manage to keep the family finances going.
Accenture’s ‘Skills to Succeed’ corporate citizenship initiative advances employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for individuals around the globe. The company aims to equip more than 3 million people, globally, with the skills to get a job or build a business, by the end of fiscal 2020
Due to family difficulties, Goutam was forced to discontinue his education after class X and look for a job. Fortunately, an ex-student of Anudip informed him about the MAST programme. He completed the training programme and got placed as a Computer Operator at H R Xerox and Telecom, a local company in South 24 Parganas. But today, with the help of Anudip, Goutam is placed with the Magrahat Social Welfare Society as a Field Worker (Survey) earning a salary of Rs.5,000 per month.
On his journey, Goutam says, “I am an Anudip ‘MAST’ graduate. I am working with the Magrahat Social Welfare Society—a job I secured through Anudip’s placement process. I am also pursing a computer hardware and networking course from a recognised institute.” He adds, “ I intend to first complete this course and then join a reputed company as a computer systems administrator. Anudip has provided me with an incredible opportunity and I am determined to do well.” “Today, I feel on top of the world. I’m able to help my father in taking care of the family,” he signs off.
By Mahalakshmi Hariharan
